preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第11部分

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　Nora　moved　the　paper　to　the　stage　of　the　stereozoom　and　looked　at　it　under　low　power。　After　a　moment　she　stepped　back；　and　Pendergast　eagerly　took　her　place　at　the　eyepieces。　Minutes　went　by　as　he　stared。　Finally　he　stepped　away。
　〃Written　with　the　same　splinter；　perhaps；〃　he　said。
　Nora　nodded。　The　letters　had　been　formed　with　little　scratches　and　scrapes。
　〃May　I　perform　a　test？〃　Pendergast　asked。
　〃What　kind？〃
　Pendergast　slipped　out　a　small　stoppered　test　tube。　〃It　will　involve　removing　a　tiny　sample　of　the　ink　on　this　note　with　a　solvent。〃
　〃What　is　that　stuff？〃
　〃Antihuman　rabbit　serum。〃
　〃Be　my　guest。〃　Strange　that　Pendergast　carried　forensic　chemicals　around　in　his　pockets。　What　did　the　agent　not　have　hidden　inside　that　bottomless　black　suit　of　his？
　Pendergast　unstoppered　the　test　tube；　revealing　a　tiny　swab。　Using　the　stereozoom；　he　applied　it　to　a　corner　of　a　letter；　then　placed　it　back　in　its　tube。　He　gave　it　a　little　shake　and　held　it　to　the　window。　After　a　moment；　the　liquid　turned　blue。　He　turned　to　face　her。
　〃So？〃　she　asked；　but　she　had　already　read　the　results　in　his　face。
　〃The　note；　Dr。　Kelly；　was　written　in　human　blood。　No　doubt　the　very　blood　of　the　young　woman　herself。〃
　
　EIGHT
　　
　SILENCE　DESCENDED　IN　the　Museum　office。　Nora　found　she　had　to　sit　down。　For　some　time　nothing　was　said；　Nora　could　vaguely　hear　traffic　sounds　from　below；　the　distant　ringing　of　a　phone；　footsteps　in　the　hall。　The　full　dimension　of　the　discovery　began　to　sink　in：　the　tunnel；　the　thirty…six　dismembered　bodies；　the　ghastly　note　from　a　century　ago。
　〃What　do　you　think　it　means？〃　she　asked。
　〃There　can　be　only　one　explanation。　The　girl　must　have　known　she　would　never　leave　that　basement　alive。　She　didn't　want　to　die　an　unknown。　Hence　she　deliberately　wrote　down　her　name；　age；　and　home　address；　and　then　concealed　it。　A　self…chosen　epitaph。　The　only　one　available　to　her。〃
　Nora　shuddered。　〃How　horrible。〃
　Pendergast　moved　slowly　toward　her　bookshelf。　She　followed　him　with　her　eyes。
　〃What　are　we　dealing　with？〃　she　asked。　〃A　serial　killer？〃
　Pendergast　did　not　answer。　The　same　troubled　look　that　had　e　over　him　at　the　digsite　had　returned　to　his　face。　He　continued　to　stand　in　front　of　the　bookshelf。
　〃May　I　ask　you　a　question？〃
　Pendergast　nodded　again。
　〃Why　are　you　involved　in　this？　Hundred…and…thirty…year…old　serial　killings　are　not　exactly　within　the　purview　of　the　FBI。〃
　Pendergast　plucked　a　small　Anasazi　bowl　from　the　shelf　and　examined　it。　〃Lovely　Kayenta　black…on…white。〃　He　looked　up。　〃How　is　your　research　on　the　Utah　Anasazi　survey　going？〃
　〃Not　well。　The　Museum　won't　give　me　money　for　the　carbon…14　dates　I　need。　What　does　that　have　to…〃
　〃Good。〃
　〃Good？〃
　〃Dr。　Kelly；　are　you　familiar　with　the　term；　'cabinet　of　curiosities'？〃
　Nora　wondered　at　the　man's　ability　to　pile　on　non　sequiturs。　〃Wasn't　it　a　kind　of　natural　history　collection？〃
　〃Precisely。　It　was　the　precursor　to　the　natural　history　museum。　Many　educated　gentlemen　of　the　eighteenth　and　nineteenth　centuries　collected　strange　artifacts　while　roaming　the　globe…fossils；　bones；　shrunken　heads；　stuffed　birds；　that　sort　of　thing。　Originally；　they　simply　displayed　these　artifacts　in　cabinets；　for　the　amusement　of　their　friends。　Later…when　it　became　clear　people　would　pay　money　to　visit　them…some　of　these　cabinets　of　curiosities　grew　into　mercial　enterprises。　They　still　called　them　'cabinets　of　curiosities'　even　though　the　collections　filled　many　rooms。〃
　〃What　does　this　have　to　do　with　the　murders？〃
　〃In　1848；　a　wealthy　young　gentleman　from　New　York；　Alexander　Marysas；　went　on　a　hunting　and　collecting　expedition　around　the　world；　from　the　South　Pacific　to　Tierra　del　Fuego。　He　died　in　Madagascar；　but　his　collections…most　extraordinary　collections　they　were…came　back　in　the　hold　of　his　ship。　They　were　purchased　by　an　entrepreneur；　John　Canaday　Shottum；　who　opened　J。　C。　Shottum's　Cabinet　of　Natural　Productions　and　Curiosities　in　1852。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃Shottum's　Cabinet　was　the　building　that　once　stood　above　the　tunnel　where　the　skeletons　were　found。〃
　〃How　did　you　find　all　this　out？〃
　〃Half　an　hour　with　a　good　friend　of　mine　who　works　in　the　New　York　Public　Library。　The　tunnel　you　explored　was；　in　fact；　the　coal　tunnel　that　serviced　the　building's　original　boiler。　It　was　a　three…story　brick　building　in　the　Gothic　Revival　style　popular　in　the　1850s。　The　first　floor　held　the　cabinet　and　something　called　a　'Cyclorama；'　the　second　floor　was　Shottum's　office；　and　the　third　floor　was　rented　out。　The　cabinet　seems　to　have　been　quite　successful；　though　the　Five　Points　neighborhood　around　it　was　at　the　time　one　of　Manhattan's　worst　slums。　The　building　burned　in　1881。　Shottum　died　in　the　fire。　The　police　report　suspected　arson；　but　no　perpetrator　was　ever　found。　It　remained　a　vacant　lot　until　the　row　of　tenements　was　built　in　1897。〃
　〃What　was　on　the　site　before　Shottum's　Cabinet？〃
　〃A　small　hog　farm。〃
　〃So　all　those　people　must　have　been　murdered　while　the　building　was　Shottum's　Cabinet。〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　〃Do　you　think　Shottum　did　it？〃
　〃Impossible　to　know　as　of　yet。　Those　glass　fragments　I　found　in　the　tunnel　were　mostly　broken　test　tubes　and　distillation　apparatus。　On　them；　I　found　traces　of　a　variety　of　chemicals　that　I　have　yet　to　analyze。　We　need　to　learn　a　great　deal　more　about　J。　C。　Shottum　and　his　cabinet　of　curiosities。　I　wonder　if　you　would　be　so　kind　as　to　acpany　me？〃
　He　obligingly　opened　the　door　to　her　office；　and　Nora　automatically　followed　him　into　the　hallway。　He　continued　talking　as　they　walked　down　the　hall　and　took　an　elevator　to　the　fifth　floor。　As　the　elevator　doors　hissed　open；　Nora　suddenly　came　to　her　senses。
　〃Wait　a　minute。　Where　are　we　going？　I've　got　work　to　do。〃
　〃As　I　said；　I　need　your　help。〃
　Nora　felt　a　short　jolt　of　irritation：　Pendergast　spoke　so　confidently；　as　if　he　already　owned　her　time。　〃I'm　sorry；　but　I'm　an　archaeologist；　not　a　detective。〃
　He　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃Is　there　a　difference？〃
　〃What　makes　you　think　I'd　be　interested？〃
　〃You　already　are　interested。〃
　Nora　fumed　at　the　man's　presumption；　although　what　he　said　was　perfectly　true。　〃And　just　how　will　I　explain　this　to　the　Museum？〃
　〃That；　Dr。　Kelly；　is　the　nature　of　our　appointment。〃
　He　pointed　to　a　door　at　the　end　of　the　hall；　with　the　name　of　the　occupant　in　gold　lettering　on　a　wooden　plaque。
　〃Oh；　no；〃　groaned　Nora。　〃No。〃
　They　found　Roger　Brisbane　ensconced　in　his　Bauhaus　chair；　crisp　Turnbull　&　Asser　shirt　rolled　up　at　the　cuffs；　looking　every　inch　the　lawyer。　His　prized　gems　still　nestled　in　their　glass　box；　the　only　touch　of　warmth　in　the　cold　immaculate　office。　He　nodded　toward　two　chairs　opposite　his　desk。　It　did　not　look　like　Brisbane　was　in　a　good　mood。
　〃Special　Agent　Pendergast；〃　Brisbane　said；　glancing　from　his　appointment　book　up　to　Pendergast　without　acknowledging　Nora。　〃Now；　why　is　that　name　familiar？〃
　〃I've　done　work　in　the　Museum　before；〃　said　Pendergast；　in　his　creamiest　drawl。
　〃Who　did　you　work　for？〃
　〃You　misapprehend。　I　said　I　did　work　in　the　Museum；　not　for　it。〃
　Brisbane　waved　his　hand。　〃Whatever。　Mr。　Pendergast；　I　enjoy　my　quiet　mornings　at　home。　I　fail　to　see　what　the　emergency　was　that　required　my　presence　in　the　office　at　such　an　hour。〃
　〃Crime　never　sleeps；　Mr。　Brisbane。〃　Nora　thought　she　detected　a　note　of　dry　humor　in　Pendergast's　voice。
　Brisbane's　eyes　veered　toward　Nora；　then　away　again。　〃Dr。　Kelly's　responsibilities　are　here。　I　thought　I　made　that　clear　on　the　telephone。　Normally　the　Museum　would　be　delighted　to　help　the　FBI；　but　I　just　don't　see　how　we　can　in　this　particular　case。〃
　Instead　of　answering；　Pendergast's　gaze　lingered　on　the　gems。　〃I　didn't　know　the　famous　Mogul　Star　Sapphire　had　been　taken　off　public　display。　That　is　the　Mogul　Star；　is　it　not？〃
　Brisbane　shifted　in　his　chair。　〃We　periodically　rotate　the　exhibits；　to　give　visitors　a　chance　to　see　things　that　are　in　storage。〃
　〃And　you　keep　the；　ah；　excess　inventory　here。〃
　〃Mr。　Pendergast；　as　I　said；　I　fail　to　see　how　we　can　help　you。〃
　〃This　was　a　unique　crime。　You　have　unique　resources。　I　need　to　make　use　of　those　resources。〃
　〃Did　the　crime　you　mention　take　pl